PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that Ricky L. German of Yankton has been sentenced to a maximum 25 years in prison, with seven years suspended, after he earlier pled no contest to one count of aggravated assault.

German, 62, was sentenced Tuesday in Yankton County Circuit Court. As part of a plea bargain, German also was sentenced as a habitual offender on the aggravated assault charge which increased the maximum sentence from 15 years to 25 years in prison.

The defendant was indicted following a March 23, 2023 incident in Yankton where he used a weapon to hold two people against their will while law enforcement attempted to conduct a lawful search of his residence. The incident led to a standoff with law enforcement which ended with no injuries.

“This was a violent act which threatened the safety of the hostages and law enforcement,” said Attorney General Jackley. “This sentence brings justice to all the people victimized by this defendant.”

Agencies involved in investigating the incident were the State Division of Criminal Investigation, Yankton Police Department, and Yankton County Sheriff’s Office.
Prosecution of the case was handled by the Attorney General’s Office and the Yankton County State’s Attorney’s Office.

German also was ordered to pay restitution to victims of forgery crimes he committed in Clay and Yankton counties. German is scheduled to be sentenced later this month in Charles Mix for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. That charge has a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, but it is also a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison since this is his second conviction for that same crime.